Dropper stopper



Sept. 14, 193 7.

DROPPER STOPPER Filed Jan. 4, 1935 D.- A. wooDcocK 2,092,791 l PatentedSept. 14, 1937 UNITED STATES MTENT OFFICE 2,092,791 DROPPER' s'roPPERApplication January 4, 1935, Serial No. 439

Claims. (Cl. 221-148) This invention relates to a dropper stopper.

It is primarily aimed to provide an improved construction of the generalclass employing a rigid cap, an elastic bulb and a bottle sealing 5iiange and a dropper tube carried by the latter.

It is usual in the distribution of medicaments intended for applicationto the nose and throat to sell a bottle of the liquid closed by a screwcap and, to furnish with such bottle a combination stopper and dropperfor use with the bottle by the person using it, the original screw capbeing thrown away and the combination stopper and dropper beingsubsequently used as both a bottle closure and applicator.

A primary object is to provide a form wherein the cap has an interiorgroove with top and bottom walls into which a bottle-neck sealing angeat the base of the bulb snaps after being temporarily constricted bypassage through that part of the cap beneath the groove.

I nd that this improved construction practically eliminates a relativesliding movement between the elastic part as a whole and the cap,enables a thinner elastic ange to be employed,

and insures a more unitary action, especially minimizing the possibilityof accidental separation of the assembled parts comprising the device.

More specic objects and advantages will in part be pointed out andotherwise become apparent from the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing illustrating an operativeimprovement embodying said changes.

Figure 1 is a view in substantially vertical f .section showing thedevice applied to a bottle or container; Figure 2 is a central verticalsection through the dropper stopper as removed from thecontainer; Figure3 is a top or plan view of the device, and Figure 4 is a centralvertical section suggesting the method of attaching the elastic body tothe cap. f

Referring specifically to the drawing wherein like reference charactersdesignate like or similar parts, the invention comprises a one piecerubber or other elastic body IIJ carrying adropper tube II, and whichbody inturn is carried by a cap I2 adapted to unitarily secure all ofsaid parts to the neck of a bottle or container I3.

Said bottle or container I3 may be of glass or any other suitablematerial and of any preferred form, usually having screw threads Ilabout the neck which are engaged by screw threads I5 of said cap I2,which latter ismade of any suitable rigid material, usually metal.

Said cap I2 at the upper portion has a top wall I6 provided with acentral opening Il, and a lateral wall I8 spaced below and parallel tothe top wall II so as to form a groove I9. A vertical side wall 20connects the walls I6 and I8 and is preferably roughened or knurled asshown at 2| to facilitate gripping engagement by the ngers. Such cap- I2may be readily stamped or manu- .factured in a single metallic piece.

Particular attention is directed to the fact that 20 V the iiange 23 isof greater diameter than the entrance to the groove I9 or portion of thecap having the screw threads I 5, to the end, as shown in Figure 4,'that the flange 23 will be'constricted and contracted while it isapplied to the cap. 25

Such contraction or constriction causes the ang'e 23, when alined withthe groove I9, to. somewhat forcibly snap into the groove I9 and occupythe same. Thereafter the marginal part of the lower surface of the ange23 rests upon 30 the shoulder I8 which holdsit positively-againstaccidental removal.

The device is of that character wherein one ileld of use is inconnection with medicine of an oily nature contained in the bottle orreceptacle 35 I3. Normally the device as a whole forms a closure for thereceptacle I3 as the flange 23 is in sealing engagement with. the upperedge of the neck. However with the cap I2 unscrewed or detached the bulb22 may be compressed while 40 the tube II is immersed in the medicine,to draw a quantity into the tube. By operating the dropper and bulb inan obvious manner the medicine may be applied drop by drop to the nose,throat or other part desired. f 45 Minor changes may be resorted toprovided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. Forexample, the groove I9 may be enlarged either in diameter or in width ascompared with the diameter and thickness of the 50 ilange 23withoutdestroying the utility of the device, so long as the diameter ofthe ange remains substantially larger than the diameter o f theconstricted portion of the cap below the wall I8.' The bulb and litsattached dropper can be 55 groove, said flange being of greater diameterthan the entrance to said groove so as to be held thereby againstaccidental separation, said flange having a portion extending inwardlyat the entrance of said bulb, and a dropper gripped by said flangethroughout the thickness of the latter.

2. In combination, a closure cap having a top wall provided with anopening, a wall spaced below said first wall to provide a groove, anelastic bulb extending through said opening and an elas-A tic flange atthe base of said bulb occupying said groove, said flange being ofgreater diameter than the entrance to said groove so that the flangecontracts suiciently as it enters said groove to snap into said groove,said flange having a portion extending inwardly at the entrance to thebulb, and a dropper tube having an annular groove occupied by theextension of said flange.

3. In combination, a closure cap having a wall provided with an openingand adapted to be gripped at its margin, said cap having a portioncoacting with said wall to form an inwardly opening endless groove belowthe wall, an elastic body having a bulb extending through said openingand a flange at the base of said bulb having a portion occupying saidgroove, said ange being of greater diameter than the entrance to saidgroove so as to prevent the removal of said portion of the flange fromsaid groove without deforming the flange, a bottle engaging partdepending from said portion of said cap at a location inwardly of themargin of said wall and a dropper carried by said flange.

4. In a device of the class described, in combination, a cap having atop Wall provided with l a central opening, a marginal gripping walldepending from said top wall, an inwardly extending wall at the base ofthe marginal gripping wall, said walls providing an interior groove, aportion of less diameter than saidlgripping wall depending from theinner edge of the inwardly extending wall and adapted to seat on abottle neck, an elastic member comprising a bulb protruding through saidcap opening and a ange occupying said groove, and a tube having one endconnected f with said bulb and its other end depending therefrom, saidflange having a diameter greater than the interior diameter of saidportion, whereby said cap and elastic member are positively held againstaccidental separation and said flange may serve as a bottle seal.

5. In combination, a closure cap having a top wall provided with anopening, a wall spaced below said rst wall to provide a groove, anelastic bulb extending through said opening and an elastic ange at thebase of said bulb occupying said groove, said ange being of greaterdiameter than the entrance to said groove so as to be held therebyagainst accidental separation, and a dropper tube carried by saidelastic flange adjacent the junction of the bulb and flange, whereby thebulb and cap are positively locked together forming with the dropper aunitary structure removable from an engaged bottle by removal of thecap.

DAVID A. WOODCOCK.

